NEW DELHI: A massive nationwide labour strike is currently underway today, February 12, 2026, as millions of workers across India protest the Union government’s move to implement four controversial Labour Codes. The strike follows a call given by a joint platform of ten Central Trade Unions (CTUs) during a national convention held in Delhi on January 9.
Ground Impact: Mines and Transport Hit
Reports from across the country indicate significant disruptions, particularly in industrial and mining belts. In Raigarh, several mines have reportedly ceased operations as workers joined the picket lines. Transportation services have also been severely impacted, with public buses and freight movement coming to a standstill in multiple districts.
In Raipur, the atmosphere remained tense as trade unions organized a massive torchlight rally late last evening to mobilize support. However, the strike has met with local opposition in some quarters; the Chamber of Commerce has officially declined to support the bandh, citing the economic toll on small businesses and traders.
The Core Dispute: Four Labour Codes
The agitation centers on the government’s consolidation of 29 central labour laws into four distinct codes:
- Code on Wages
- Industrial Relations (IR) Code
- Social Security (SS) Code
- Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code
While the codes were enacted between 2019 and 2020 and brought into partial effect last November, the Centre only recently pre-published the draft rules. Union leaders argue these codes “disarm” the working class by making unionization difficult and allowing easier layoffs.
Trade union representatives at the Delhi convention made their stance clear: if the draft rules are not withdrawn and the codes repealed immediately, the current one-day strike will escalate into an indefinite nationwide shutdown. With Labour being on the Concurrent List, the unions are also pressure-grouping state governments to refrain from notifying state-specific rules.
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